Google Shopping Actions: Why You Need to Join Now

Your Guide to Google Shopping Actions

Are you in search of a way to connect with more consumers and get ahead of your e-commerce competitors? Look no further than Google Shopping Actions. Google’s transactions platform is unlike anything else available to brands and retailers today, and offers tremendous potential across marketing, selling and fulfilling. Despite this potential, many brands and retailers are still standing by with a “wait and see” approach. Perhaps you’re not sure how to get started. Or maybe you’re too busy with efforts focused elsewhere. Either way, you can no longer afford to watch this powerful program unfold from the sidelines. It’s time to discover what can be achieved with Google Shopping Actions.

If you’re new to Google Shopping Actions, this eBook is for you. We answer common questions for sellers who are new to the program, including:

Chapter 1: What Is Google Shopping Actions?

You’ve heard about Google Shopping Actions. But how does Google’s transactions platform work? And who’s it really for?

Put simply, Shopping Actions lets you get your listings in front of millions of consumers as they weave their way through the entire Google ecosystem. It helps ensures your products are displayed across multiple touchpoints including Google Search, Google Express and the Google Assistant.

This all-encompassing approach means you can meet consumers where, when and how they prefer to shop — whether they’re simply searching for ideas or actively adding items to mobile carts. It doesn’t matter if people use desktop, mobile or voice to discover and purchase products. When you use Shopping Actions, your inventory will be a part of the mix.

How it Works

Shopping Actions allows online shoppers to browse and buy goods from your store or warehouse through Google Express or the Google Assistant. Consumers can shop for products across multiple retailers, and then add items to one universal cart and shopping list. They’ll see the most up-to-date pricing and availability information, and choose from same-day, next-day or standard shipping. Personalized experiences and saved payment credentials also make it easy for consumers to reorder.

Today’s shoppers can rely on mobile and voice to browse and buy from anywhere, at any time, using a wide array of apps and devices. They are always on. Always looking. And always expecting fast, frictionless shopping experiences.

This makes it incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to keep up with their demands. To stay relevant, you have to deliver — on mobile, voice and more. That’s where Google Shopping Actions comes in. Google stays ahead of the latest e-commerce trends and buying behaviors — so you don’t have to. It’s the easiest, fastest way to leverage the full scale of Google while delivering the seamless experiences that empowered consumers demand today.

Chapter 3: The Many Benefits of Google Shopping Actions

When it comes to meeting the expectations of today’s empowered consumer, Google Shopping Actions stands in a class all its own. The platform is built to help brands and retailers engage with empowered consumers in the ways that matter most to them — so you can create the connections that matter most to your business.

FOR MARKETING

Build relationships: Because Shopping Actions is a retailer-first platform, it’s always clear to consumers that they’re actually buying from you. You’ll have your own storefront, and your company name will be prominently placed on each listing.

Target your marketing: Customers can easily opt-in to your marketing during the checkout process. And if existing loyalty programs are an important part of your strategy, it’s easy to integrate with those, too

FOR SELLING

Select what you sell: You can pick and choose which products to sell on Shopping Actions, rather than uploading your entire inventory. It’s a great opportunity to evaluate your catalog and conversion rates for items that are underperforming elsewhere and could use a boost.

Pay by the transaction: Unlike Google Shopping’s traditional model of cost-per-click-based advertising, Shopping Actions charges a commission for each transaction. So you pay only when a purchase takes place.

Increase loyalty: With Google’s deep understanding of consumer intent and purchase histories, consumers are virtually guaranteed to get a personalized experience each time they shop with you. The platform makes it easy for people to reorder favorite items and discover new products.

FOR FULFILLING

Reduce costs: Shopping Actions provides consumers with a consistent and reliable customer experience, and handles the heavy lifting on customer support and returns. This not only reduces your shipping and processing costs, but will also influence decisions to continue placing orders with you.placing orders with you.

What kinds of results should you expect with Google Shopping Actions? The typical seller experiences higher conversion rates, at lower costs, compared to relying on Google Shopping alone. Based on early test results, participating retailers have also seen a 30% average increase in basket size

Google offers a wealth of actionable intelligence. When you combine those insights with the power of an e-commerce platform like ChannelAdvisor, it’s easier than ever to make data-based decisions. See how your products are performing, forecast demand for your inventory, understand what competitors are doing and more.

Chapter 4: Is Shopping Actions Right For You?

Are certain products not selling well?
Shopping Actions may be exactly what you need to get them in front of the right consumers at the right time.

Are you struggling to maximize the latest voice trends?
Shopping Actions will help surface your products in popular voice-enabled shopping platforms, and ensure consumers get a great hands-free shopping experience.

Do you need to increase loyalty and engagement?
One-click reordering, personalized recommendations and basket-building-based purchase history turn first-time shoppers into repeat customers.

Is your return on ad spend lower than you’d like?
Compared with using Google Shopping alone, brands and retailers see higher conversion rates at lower costs after turning to Shopping Actions.

Are you looking for budget-friendly ways to expand your reach?
Shopping Actions makes it easy to advertise and sell across multiple platforms, from Google Search to to Google Home devices to the Google Express mobile app. And because you pay by the sale, you won’t be charged until a purchase has been placed.

Chapter 5: Getting Started With Google Shopping Actions

Ready to get in on the action? Here’s what you need to know to get started today:

Basic Eligibility Requirements

Shopping Actions supports a growing number of categories, but requires Google’s approval to participate. To be accepted into the program, you must:

Offer returns for up to 30 days after delivery

Fulfill within the US

Be able to integrate with the Google Orders API

Two Essential Starter Steps

Step 1: Set up your Merchant Center account so you can upload store information and product data.

Step 2: Upload your products with a feed to give Google all the important details, from product titles and descriptions to pricing and inventory information. Keep in mind: Shopping Actions is powered by the same feed you send for Google Shopping, with a few new fields added.

Keep in mind: Shopping Actions is powered by the same feed you send for Google Shopping, with a few new fields added.

Get Started Today With ChannelAdvisor

ChannelAdvisor makes it incredibly easy to sync your listings with Google Shopping Actions, and offers full order management support with the Google Orders API. Sellers can launch on Shopping Actions immediately after receiving approval from Google.

ChannelAdvisor transforms your product data into outstanding experiences across all of your marketing, selling and fulfilling activities — on more than 100 of the world’s leading e-commerce channels. Our unique blend of advanced technology and e-commerce expertise provides everything you need to optimize the entire consumer journey.